In the news today, Dec. 1

Canadian Press

Published: Dec 01, 2017 at 4:15 a.m.

Updated: Dec 01, 2017 at 9 a.m.

Seven stories in the news for Friday, Dec. 1

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BASEBALL ANALYST FIRED FROM SPORTSNET

Gregg Zaun has been fired from Sportsnet due to alleged "inappropriate behaviour and comments" toward female employees. Rick Brace, president of Rogers Media, says they received complaints from "multiple female employees at Sportsnet regarding inappropriate behaviour by Gregg Zaun in the workplace." Zaun has not yet commented on his dismissal.

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BILL MORNEAU AGAIN AT CENTRE OF FIERCE DEBATE

Finance Minister Bill Morneau found himself fending off fresh Opposition broadsides during another tumultuous question period — one that was so turbulent, a Conservative MP was booted from Commons for heckling. Morneau remains at the centre of an ethics controversy and the latest questions concerned revelations that his father sold off about $1.5 million shares in their family-built company right before the minister made a major 2015 tax-change announcement.

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LATEST JOBS NUMBERS OUT TODAY

Statistics Canada will release the latest employment data today, which will reveal whether the economy continued to churn out new jobs in November. Last month's jobs report showed employers added more than 35,000 new positions in October, with most of the growth coming from full-time work. Even with that gain, the national unemployment rate ticked up to 6.3 per cent from 6.2 per cent due to more young people entering the labour force.

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CANADA NOT TALKING ABOUT JOINING US MISSILE DEFENCE

A senior Canadian general says there have been no talks about joining the American ballistic-missile shield program. Chief of defence staff Gen. Jonathan Vance's comments come amid swirling questions over Canada's potential involvement in ballistic-missile defence, particularly given concerns about North Korea missiles. Vance told The Canadian Press that officials are preparing for what are expected to be in-depth talks with the U.S. about upgrading Norad.

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KATHLEEN WYNNE WRAPS UP CHINA TRADE MISSION

Premier Kathleen Wynne has wrapped up a trade mission to China saying the trip secured nearly $2 billion in agreements between Ontario and Chinese companies. Speaking from Shenzhen, China, Wynne told The Canadian Press that those agreements will create more than 2,000 jobs in Ontario. The premier and business delegates from the science, tech, agri-food and automotive sectors met with Chinese businesses throughout the week.

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APPEAL COURT TO RULE ON REAL ESTATE CASE

The Federal Court of Appeal is expected to rule today on whether Canada's largest real estate board must open up access to home sales data to its realtor members, which it could then share with the public online. The decision is expected to affect how other real estate boards provide services to customers on the internet. Last April, the federal Competition Tribunal ruled that the Toronto Real Estate Board prevented competition and stifled digital innovation by prohibiting its realtor members from posting sales data on their websites.

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CANADA JOINS HIGH ARCTIC FISHING BAN

An international agreement deal has been reached to prevent commercial fishing in the High Arctic for at least the next 16 years. The deal covers Arctic seas at least 200 kilometres away from the shores of any coastal states. That's an area about the size of the Mediterranean Sea. Countries that have signed on include the five nations with Arctic coastlines, as well as China, Japan, South Korea, the European Union and Iceland.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY:

— In addition to the latest jobs numbers, StatsCanada will release gross domestic product data for the third quarter.

— The National Bank of Canada will release fourth-quarter and year-end results.